Port Colborne

In pre-colonial times, the Neutral Indians lived in the area, due in part to the ready availability of flint and chert from outcroppings on the Onondaga Escarpment. This advantage was diminished by the introduction of firearms by European traders, and they were driven out by the Iroquois around 1650 as part of the Beaver Wars.

Founded as Gravelly Bay, after the shallow, bedrock-floored bay upon which it sits, the modern City of Port Colborne traces its roots back to the United Empire Loyalist settlements that grew up in the area following the American Revolution. Growth became focused around the southern terminus of the Welland Canal after it was extended to reach Lake Erie in 1833.

Sometime during the 1880s, American tourists from the Southern states began building vacation homes on the lakeshore of the Western edge of the town. Before long, an entire gated community of vacationers from the South called Port Colborne their home during the summer months. Today, the picturesque street of Tennessee Avenue is still home to many of these original vacation homes and buildings, as well as the original stone and wrought iron resort gates. The street boasts some immaculately maintained examples of late 19th- and early 20th-century Southern architecture.

• City of Port Colborne
• Niagara South Coast Tourism Association
• 🌍 Humberstone Hall Visitor Information Centre, 76 Main St W. (updated Mar 2023)
• 🌍 Niagara South Coast Tourism Information Centre, 66 Charlotte St (City Hall, 1st floor), ☏ +1 905-834-1668, toll-free: +1-888-767-8386. (updated Mar 2023)

Buffalo-Niagara International Airport (BUF ^IATA) in Buffalo, New York is about a 45-minute drive away.

• Buffalo Airport Shuttle, 716-685-2550, offers service from the Buffalo-Niagara airport to Port Colborne. A group of up to 4 can expect to pay approximately $95 each way and the drivers often have great tips on where to go and what to avoid.

Hamilton John C. Munro International Airport (YHM ^IATA) in Hamilton, Ontario is about a 75-minute drive away.

Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ ^IATA) in Toronto is about a 1½-hour drive away.

Port Colborne, being on the south end of the Niagara Peninsula, is primarily accessed from the Queen Elizabeth Way highway. Visitors can head south from the QEW via Victoria Ave (Hwy 24), or via Highway 406/140 to reach the town. The drive south from the QEW usually takes between 25-40 minutes depending on traffic conditions.

Visitors already on the south end of the peninsula can access Port Colborne by following Hwy 3 which passes directly through the center of town.

• FlixBus. Service from Toronto, Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, and Welland. (updated Jun 2023)
• Niagara Region Transit. Bus service from Welland. (updated Aug 2021)

Traffic is typically very light within the town. A minor annoyance are the three lift bridges that cross the Welland Canal. Delays of 15-25 minutes can arise when a ship passes under a bridge, although there are usually alternate routes available to get over the canal at other points in the city.

• Port Taxi, 165 King St, ☏ +1 905-835-2424. 
• A Premier Taxi, ☏ +1 905-835-8000, fax: +1 905-835-1627. 

Public transit options are somewhat limited in Port Colborne. A regional bus runs between Port Colborne and Welland, Monday through Friday. Otherwise, on-demand transit services are provided by Niagara Region Transit.

• Canal Days. Civic Holiday Weekend (first weekend in August). The Niagara Region's largest summer festival, The Canal Days Marine Heritage Festival offers activities and attractions that will enliven the senses. The Tall Ships gather in Port Colborne each August holiday weekend, for a four-day celebration of history and heritage. Explore the decks, try your hand at the wheel, or feel the spray as you cruise a Tall Ship on Lake Erie. The Canal Days Festival encompasses the entire community, with activities at a dozen different venues: HH Knoll Lakeview Park hosts Ontario’s largest outdoor classic car and kite show. Each year more than 300,000 people visit the festival over four days. Friends, families, and former residents return and reminisce, and Canal Days continues to grow by bounds. 
• Lions Carnival, 130 Killaly St West. mid-July. Annual summer charity carnival hosted by the Port Colborne Lions Club. Rides, food, games, and fun. 

• 🌍 Port Motel, 10134 Highway #3, ☏ +1 905-835-5202, toll-free: +1 866-830-3424. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM. 26 units with cable TV, fridges, outdoor pool; CAA/AAA. Pets allowed "on request" - call ahead. (updated Mar 2022)
• Capri Motel, 629 Main Street West, ☏ +1 905-835-5474, blamontagne1@cogeco.ca. 10 units with double beds, cable TV, phone, a/c, wireless internet, free long distance calling, fridges and microwaves in all units. 
• 🌍 Good Night Inn, 664 Main Street West, ☏ +1 905-835-1818, toll-free: +1 833-855-1818, manager@goodnightinn.ca. 23 units with cable TV, kitchenettes, jaccuzzi, outdoor heated pool. (updated Mar 2022)
• Seaway Motel, 650 Main Street West, ☏ +1 905-834-0401. 17 units with outdoor pool, cable TV, fridges, BBQ, family suites, smoke free rooms. 
• Sherkston Motel, Highway #3 East, Sherkston, ☏ +1 905-894-5454. 6 units with satellite TV, fridges and microwaves, queen-sized beds, BBQ and patio, full kitchen access. 

• 🌍 Talwood Manor Bed and Breakfast, 303 Fielden Avenue, ☏ +1 905-348-5411. Check-in: 3PM. Rooms are spacious with ensuite, private and shared baths. Each has a unique theme with quiet A/C. TVs in most rooms. Breakfast served in traditional dining room. In-house library, garden with gazebo, screened verandah. Wireless high speed internet. Ample private parking. Dock and walk from the Sugarloaf Harbour Marina. Secure storage for bicycles. (updated Mar 2022)

• Canalside, 232 West Street, ☏ +1 905-834-6090, greg@canalside.ca. 800 sq. ft. studio suite, available daily or weekly. Room includes full kitchen facilities, pullout couch and queen bed with fireplace and LCD TV. Overlooking the canal. Room service available from on site restaurant. (updated Mar 2022)